TAC NFL Rankings: Week 7

With Romo and Favre injured, we’re a Big Ben injury in the Superdome away from knocking out the axis of ESPN evil of NFL quarterbacks.

The NFC continues to be a mystery. The Saints dropped an ugly one to the Browns, yet still can make an argument to be the best team in the conference. I think the NFC will be decided by who gets hot at the end-and that’s anybody’s guess.

The AFC looks pretty stout, though the injuries to Clark and Collie that killed my previously beautiful fantasy team give the Colts something extra to worry about.

Again, Tito is honeymooning so no rankings from him. However, if you want crazy, I’m still ranking the Saints, so enjoy.

Pittsburgh Steelers – Sure, they benefited from a weird rule. But even if Miami had gotten the ball at the 20, Pittsburgh probably would have won anyway: Two minutes, top defense, all their timeouts, and Ben Roethlisberger (MJ)

New York Jets – How about a Jets-Giants Super Bowl for the Jerry Jones Bowl in February? (PZ)

New England Patriots – Just like the Giants they had to go on a road and play a team absolutely desperate for a win, and just like the Giants came away with a W. (PZ)

Tennessee Titans – I think this team is much better than we all thought (MJ)

Indianapolis Colts (TIE w/ Falcons) – With the Titans surging, the Colts could be in big trouble with a second loss to the Texans (MJ)

New York Giants (TIE w/ Colts & Falcons) – Right now the only weakness is their penchant for turnovers, because otherwise they are completely dominant on both sides of the ball. Ending the Cowgirls season, for all intents and purposes, is just a sweetener. (PZ)

Baltimore Ravens – If you give up 500 yards to a winless Buffalo team, then your defense is in big trouble for those upcoming winter AFC battles (MJ)

Houston Texans – (Aside from that first win against the Colts, the Texans have not been able to put together a complete team effort. With DeMeco Ryans off the field, the Colts might blowup the scoreboard (PZ).

Kansas City Chiefs (TIE w/ Texans) – They proved that those first three games were no fluke. The division is theirs barring a huge letdown (PZ)

New Orleans Saints (TIE w/ Chiefs & Texans) – Yeah, it was ugly. But the Browns threw the entire playbook at the Saints. What should worry people is that it’s the offense struggling, not the defense. If Brees can get back to being more consistent (which will probably come when Bush & Thomas return), this team can be as good as last year. However, they need to beat the Steelers to keep in the hunt, a very tall task. Happy Halloween.

6 Responses to TAC NFL Rankings: Week 7

I don’t get the love for the Giants as the best team in the NFC. They were a bounce on an onsides kick away from losing to the Cowboys. They had 4 turnovers in that game? The bizarre decision to be throwing the ball with an 18 point lead? I just don’t get why people are putting them in the Super Bowl. I can see the Falcons, but for the rest of the NFC there’s no reason to put anyone anywhere yet (except the Panthers as out of the playoffs-that’s pretty safe).

I’m 40-years-old, and I’ve loved and watched the Saints all that time. However, I just cant’ get behind the idea that the Saints “still can make an argument to be the best team in the conference.”

Granted, the NFC is tremendously weak this year, but there are too many problems with the Saints. Brees is off; Thomas is out; Bush may or may not be ready to come back; the defense is like Swiss Cheese and can’t get the turnovers that saved their behinds last year.

There is no “Best” team in the NFC.

I wholeheartedly agree that the NFC will be won by the team that gets hot in the last 3-4 games going into the playoffs.

As for the AFC: their teams are much better, but still no clear cut “Best” team. But, I like Pittsburgh’s chances the most.

the defense is like Swiss Cheese and can’t get the turnovers that saved their behinds last year.

I don’t think that’s the case. Given the fact that our offense hasn’t been holding on to the ball as much, our defense has managed to keep the points to about 20. That’s not swiss cheese.

As far the argument, I think the teams in the NFC that are good are: Saints, Falcons, Bucs, Giants, Eagles, and Redskins. I don’t buy anyone from the West, and the Packers are too weak in the North. Out of those 6, considering the Saints should have beaten two of them (Bucs & falcons, darn it Hartley), I think a case can be made. It’s not a great case, but there’s one. If the Saints can shock Pittsburgh, it’ll be a great case.

They were a bounce on an onsides kick away from losing to the Cowboys.

I think they would have still required the Cowboys to actually score before just awarding them the win with a recovered onsides kick.

Kidding aside, though the Giants did seem to do everything in their power to give the Boys the game at the end, the fact of the matter is that they rolled 500 yards and 41 points on the road against a good defensive team that was in a must-win situation. Right now the Giants offense is clicking on all cylinders with the best 3-receive tandem in the NFL, Bradshaw going crazy, and even a revitalized Jacobs. Oh, and they’re defense ain’t so bad either – just ask the 4 qbs they’ve knocked out.

I’m not necessarily arguing that they’re ticket is punched for Dallas, especially after what happened just 2 years ago, but as of right now there is no team in the NFC playing as well on both sides of the ball. Atlanta has a good offense and a good defense, but the G-men have a better offense and a better defense.

I agree that if the Saints beat Pittsburgh, that will speak volumes about their ability to stay in the hunt the rest of the season. I have faith in Payton’s decision-making, and that Brees will improve.

Also, I’ll have to retract what I said about our defense. They aren’t swiss cheese: I checked out the NFL stats page (to bolster my argument) and found out exactly the opposite of what I said.

In fact, New Orleans is third in the league in total defense (even better than Pittsburgh!)